Ignition system.



B. DECK.

IGNITION SYS'I'EFI.'

mjPucAnoN FILED Avn. i3.. 1914.

fia/@ Paiem lm., H, 11916.

aan sans anni anion.

BURNS DICK, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, =ASSIG'NOR TO WAQNER ELECTRIClVIANUFAC- v TUBING- COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CQILPORATION OFMISSOURI.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

AppIcatonled April 13, 1914. Serial No. 831,445.

new and useful Ignition System, of which the following is such a full,clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled 1n the .artto which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification.

' generator can be connected to the other ter- My invention relates toan ignition system suitable for internal combustion engines.

One of my objects is to produce at will either a single spark or.vibrator sparks, while reducing the minimum necessary ad- Vance of thesingle spark over the irst vi- D brator spark to a very small angle.

Other advantages of my invention will appear from the detaileddescription .and will be pointed out in the appended clalms. Myinvention is particularly applicable to iin ignition system adapted tobe operated rom a storage battery or from a generator driven from theengine and designed to charge said battery after a certain engine speedhas been exceeded. It is usual to provide an automatic battery switchbetween a storage battery and the dynamo adapted to charge same. In oneform of my system, I make use of this automatic battery switch to changefrom vibrator to single sparks or vice versa.

Referringto the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one embodimentof my invention, the storage battery 7 is permanently connected to oneof the main brushes 10 of the-generator 9 driven by the explosionengine. The other main brush 13 of this minal of the storage battery bymeans of the automatic battery switch. The exciting winding 12 of thegenerator is connected between the main brush 10 and an auxiliary brush1l displaced from the main brushes.

rlhe automatic battery switch comprises a' movable armature 17 pivotedat 18, and normally under the control of spring 19, but is also underthe influence of a magnet 14 energized by the shunt coil 15 connectedacross the main brushes of the dynamo, and

a series coil 16 .connected between the stationary contact 23 of theautomatic switch and the main brush 1B of the dynamo. The

armature 17 of this switchV carries two conxtacts 21, 22. The contact 21rests on the stationary contact 2() as long as the spring 19 is incontrol of the armature 17. The contact 22 rests on the stationarycontact 23 when the electromagnet of the automatic battery switchoverpowers the spring 19 and attracts the armature 17.

The secondary ignition circuit comprises the secondary winding 4 of thespark coil and one or more spark gaps such as 5, 6. A. distributer ofknown construction is usually interposed between the spark gaps and theprimary spark coil, but is not illustrated in A thev figure since itdoes not form a part of this invention. The spark coil is provided witha core 2. Y

The primary ignition circuit has two branches; one adapted to producevibrator sparks and comprising the storage battery 7, the primary 3 ofthe spark coil, the movable arm 40 of the circuit breaker pivoted at 41,the cam 39 coperating therewith mechanically and electrically, and thevibrator 34. The cam 39 is either geared to the engine shaft or directlyconnected thereto. 1 This Patented J an. 11, 1916.

vibrator circuitis closed when the automatic battery switch is open. Theother branch comprises the storage battery, the primary of the sparkcoil, the circuit breaker contacts 42, 43, and is closed when.. theautomatic battery switch is closed. This single spark circuit can alsobe energized directly fron'the generator 9, for the latter ispermanently in circuit with the primary of the spark coil and thecircuit breaker contacts 42, 43.

The ignition switch 31 has three positions. In the position 47 shown inthe ligure, it connects the storage battery 7 to the vibrator circuitand closes the single spark circuit at the points 26, 27. In itsposition 48, it interrupts the single spark circuit and also dislll@ 39are at rest and in the position shown, then the spring 19 will be incontrol of the armature 1T of the automatic battery switch and thevibrator circuit may be traced from the negative pole of the batterythrough the spark coil to the breaker arm 40, to the cam 39 and thestationary contact 37 of the vibrator, the contact 3G attached to thespring-mounted armature 34 thereoit pivoted at 35, through theenergizing coil 33 of said vibrator, the contacts 25, and 24 of theignition switch, the stationary contact 20 coperating with the contact21 of the automatic battery switch, and through the armature of thelatter back to the positive pole of the storage battery. As long as thecam 39 is in electrical contact with the breaker arm 40, the vibratorwill be in operation, and vibrator sparks will be produced betweenpoints 5 and 6. During the whole of this period, the single sparkcircuit will be interrupted at the points 42 and 43. It' the engine hascome to rest in a position in which the cam 39 does not eng'age thebreaker arm 40, then the spring 45 will be in control of said arm, theVibrator circuit will be interrupted because 39 has i broken connectionwith 40, and the single spark circuit will be closed through the point2G, contact 29, point 27, the generator 9, and the primary 3 of thespark coil.

The mode of operation of this system is somewhat as follows: When it isdesired to start the explosion engine, it is first necessary to placethe ignition switch 31 into its position 157, when an attempt may bemade to start the engine on compression by depressing the switch 4G,thus closing the vibrator circuit independently of the cam 39 Shouldthis fail to start the engine, then the operator may crank same, eitherby hand or mechanically, thus causing the cam o9 to revolve, asindicated in the ligure.

As soon as this cam strikes the circuit breaker arm 40, the single sparkcircuit is interrupted at the points 42, 43, and the vibrator circuit issimultaneously energized. This circuit is, oi' course, closed at thepoints 2.1, 20, because as long as the engine is standing still or isrevolving very slowly, the spring 19 is in control of the automaticbattery switch armature 17. As soon as the engine has lired, its speedlmay be increased in a manner well understood, and, when it reaches avalue at which the generator picks up,7 the interruption of the singlespark circuit at the points 42,"43 will begin to produce single sparks,the magnitude of which will depend on the magnitude of the E. M. F.generated in the dynamo 9. At the saine time, the shunt winding 15 ofthe automaticfbattery switch will also become energized'. When thedynamo reaches a voltage which is approximately equal to the storagebattery voltage,

dynamo 9 has reached the same value as the voltage of the battery T.When the generator is connected in parallel to the battery through thebattery switch, it not only sup plies the energy for the single sparkcircuit, but also sends a charging current into the battery. Under thesecircumstances, no vibrator sparks are produced. Should the engine speedfall below a certain value and reduce the voltage generated in thedynamo to a value below that of the battery '7, then the latter willsend a discharging current into the generator. This discharging current,circulating through the winding 16, will produce a magnetization opposedto that of the winding 15,' will weaken the electromagnet, and willallow the spring 19 to resume control, thus restablishing the productionof vibrator sparks. These vibrator sparks will be preceded by a more orless energetic single spark, as long as the generator 9 produces anyvoltage at all.

The condenser 44 is connected across the single spark contacts 42, 43,and the condenser 38 is connected across the vibrator contacts 36, 37,in orderto minimize sparking at said contacts and increase the elicienryof the spark coil. T he fuse 50 is inserted in the single spark circuitfor the purpose of pr otectiug the same in case the automatic batteryswitch fails to connect the generator to the batter,v after the Jformerhas reached the proper voltage. Should the automatic switch lfail toperform this duty, then the voltage of the generator will increase ta rbeyond its normal value and may, thereby, damage the spark coil. lThefuse 50 will prevent such an accident. It will be seen that the cam 39contacting with the circuit breaker arm 40, performs the duty ot a timerfor the Vibrator circuit. It is obvious that the functions ot cam andtimer need not be combined. lt' it is preferred not to do so, then thestationary contacJ 3T of the vibrator should be connected to point 41oil:l the primary ignition circuit through a timer ot' ordinaryconstructimi. when the cam 39 may be grounded in the usual manner andcaused to strike an insulated portion of the circuit breaker arm, say aFiber block located therein.

Having -fully described my invention, what l claim as new and desire tosecure by Letterslatcnt ot' vthe United States is:

1. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines. a secondaryignition circuil, an exciting coil ior energizing said secondarycircuit, means comprising cooperating making and breaking the circuitthrough the exciting coil comprising a vibratile element,

and means connecting said last named circuit interrupting' means incircuit with the exciting coil approximately coincident with ltheseparation of the contacts` of the first mentioned circuit interruptingmeans.

2. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, a secondaryignition circuit, an exciting coil for energizing said secondarycircuit, a mechanically operated circuit breaker for the exciting coil,a Vibratile circuit breaker, and means vfor connecting the vibratilecircuit breaker incircuit with the exciting coil at the time thecontacts of the mechanical circuit breakerare separated.

3. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, a secondaryignition circuit, an exciting coil for energizing said secondarycircuit, a battery, a dynamo electric niachine, tWo circuit breakers forthe exciting coil, and means adapted to render one circuit breakerinoperative and to connect the dynamo in circuit with the battery.

4. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, a secondaryignition circuit, an exciting coil for energizing said secondarycircuit, a battery, a dynamo electric machine, two circuit breakers, aswitch adapted to disconnect one circuit breaker from the exciting coilandto connect the dynamo. in circuit with the battery, and meansgoverned by the voltage ot the ldynamo forfoperating said switch.

5. In an ignition system Jfor internal combustion engines, a secondaryignition circuit, an exciting coil for energizing said secondarycircuit, a circuit breaker for the ex-A citing coilcoinprising,coperating contacts, a vibratile circuit breaker, and a camactuated by the engine and adapted to separate the contactsotl the firstmentioned circuit breaker and connect the vibratile circuit breaker incircuit With the exciting coil.

. 6. In an ignition system tor internal conibustion engines, a secondaryignition circuit,

an exciting coil for energizing said secondary circuit, a circuitbreaker for the exciting coil comprising coperating contacts,

.a vibratile circuit breaker, and a cam actuated by the engine andadapted to simultaneously separate the contacts of the first mentionedcircuit breaker and connect the vibratile circuit breaker in circuitWith the exciting coil.

7. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, a secondaryignition circuit,

f an exciting coil for energizing said secondary circuit, a mechanicallyoperated circuit breaker for the exciting coil, a vibratile circuitbreaker, means for connecting the vibratile circuit breaker in circuitwith the exciting coil, and a dynamo driven by the engine andpermanently connected in series with the exciting coil through themechanically operated circuit breaker.

8. In an ignition system for combustion engines, a secondary ignitioncircuit, an exciting coil or energizing said secondary circuit` abattery, a mechanically operated circuit breaker and a vibratile circuitbreaker for the exciting coil, a dynamo connected in series with theexciting coil through the mechanicallyoperated circuit breaker, andmeans for connecting the battery in circuit With the exciting coilthrough the vibratile circuit breaker, said means comprising a switchadapted to disconnect the battery from the vibratile 'circuit breakerand to connect the battery in circuit with the dynamo.

9. In an ignition system for combustion engines, a secondary ignitioncircuit, an exciting coil for energizing said secondary circuit, abattery, a mechanically operated circuit breaker and a vibratilelcircuitbreaker for the exciting coil, a dynamo connected in series with theexciting coil through the mechanically operated circuit breaker, meansfor connecting the battery in circuit With the excitingcoil through thevibratile circuit breaker, said means comprising a switch adapted todisconnect the battery from the vibratile circuit breaker and toconnectthe battery in circuit with the dynamo, and means governed by the'voltage of the dynamo for operating said switch.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal inthe .presence of the two subscribing Witnesses.

BURNS DICK. [L s] Witnesses:

E. M. JOHNSTON,

C. B. BENNETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

